Activate Windows 10 Using Windows 7 / Windows 8.1 Key

Microsoft allows Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users to upgrade to Windows 10 free of cost. Although, to successfully activate Windows 10, users are required to upgrade directly from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Once Windows 10 is installed, Microsoft activates it automatically. From the next time users can clean install Windows 10 as the product key gets attached to the Microsoft Account and the hardware configuration.

The free upgrade system sounds perfect for both Microsoft and Windows users willing to take advantage of the free Windows 10 offer. But there are reports that suggest otherwise. Sometimes, either due to technical reasons or hardware issues, Windows 10 failed to activate after an upgrade, leaving users in a difficult situation. Also, some users may not want to take the upgrade path and may like to clean install Windows 10. How to get Windows 10 to activate after a clean install the first time? For all these reasons, Microsoft seems to be getting ready with a solution. Users will soon be able to activate Windows 10 using their existing Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 product key.

Microsoft is already testing this new way of activating Windows 10 in the Windows 10 Preview build 10565. The Redmond giant will bring this change with the release of Threshold 2 in early November to all users.

Gabe Aul, the head of the Windows Insider program, explaining the new activation system, said, “We have received a lot of feedback from Insiders on making it easier to activate Windows 10 on devices that take advantage of the free upgrade offer to genuine Windows by using existing Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 product keys. If you install this build of the Windows 10 Insider Preview on a PC and it doesn’t automatically activate, you can enter the product key from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 used to activate the prior Windows version on the same device to activate Windows 10 by going to Settings > Update & security > Activation and selecting Change Product Key. If you do a clean install of Windows 10 by booting off the media, you can also enter the product key from prior Windows versions on qualifying devices during setup. Refer to the Insider Hub for more information on these activation improvements including requirements.”

Similar to how Windows 8.1 became the default for new Windows 8 users when it was released, Threshold 2 will be the new default for Windows 10 users. Once the company releases Windows 10 Threshold 2, users upgrading directly from Windows 7 or 8.1 will receive it. Also, for users doing a clean install, Threshold 2 will be the default once they download the new Windows 10 ISO. This is a very welcome change in the activation system and will surely make life easy for all.

Let’s wait and see how things turns up when Threshold 2 is released. What are your thoughts about the new activation system? If you haven’t upgraded yet, will you upgrade once Threshold 2 is released? Let us know through comments below.